Michelle4672

Thanks for all of the good ideas and for reassuring me that I can bring my Sammie back to where he once was! You are very right in that the dynamics of the house have changed and the time I spend with him alone is not what it once was. I do know what the signs(body signals) are for a possible biting situation and I have always avoided being bit by not approaching him at these times. However, the biting he is doing lately is very aggressive...in that he is lunging at me from out of nowhere....hence, my new fear! I know as a parrot owner, being bit is part of the territory...and I have been bit over the years...but it was the kind of bites that leaves a mark and hurts, but that is about it. The last few times he has lunged at me and really got me good. The other day he was walking around while I was cleaning his cage and he came over to me and grabbed onto my toe with a vengeance....I lost so much blood! This is a type of aggression I have not seen before recently. And yes, I know that he knows I am a bit fearful now where I NEVER was before. They can sense that a mile away!! Thanks for letting me know that I have to start back at square one with the trust thing...great point! Any thoughts on how to use a stick to have him step up. I have never needed one myself(before now!)...but we have tried it many times in the past so that my husband or teens could pick him up...but he is always terrified of the perch and thrashes around the cage. Any ideas? I have heard of the clicker method, but am not familiar with it. I will look into this, too! Thanks so much!

I tried posting this earlier...but don't see it, so here goes again. My name is Michelle and I have a Congo Grey named Sammie, who is about 7 years old. We live in Pennsylvania. I have no pictures posted yet...that will take me a while...but wanted to introduce myself. I look forward to learning from/with all of you!!

I am the owner of a 7 year old Congo. Bought him as a baby from a breeder who I thought was very good and caring. However, when we took him to a very well known/respected avian vet for his initial check-up...she informed me(very abruptly) that he must me the product of over-breeding...she seemed very angry with the breeder, who she did not even know. I never went back to that vet, because she had me in tears and truth be told....Sammy was mine now and what was I going to do...even if she was right? I love him very much...he is extremely smart....says quite a few things. He has picked his feathers since day 1. I have tried everything under the sun to resolve this, but to no avail. He does not pick to bare skin. As soon as they get any length...he bites them off at a certain point. I have come to terms that this is what he does and will probably always do. Again...I have tried so many things! He is and always has been an extremely nervous/anxious bird. I have been "his person" since the beginning and he will have nothing to do with anyone else. I know this is not uncommon. BUT...he seems to have such separation anxiety with me. If I was in the same room as him and not holding him...he would start biting his feathers and his nails. I had to eventually move his cage around the corner, so he can hear us but not see us all the time. Things are getting worse as he is getting older. I used to be able to take him to the vet, now I can not even handle him enough to be able to do this. We have to use a towel to do anything like that with him and of course that causes way to much stress and blood loss from all of his thrashing around. So, we are unable to take him to the vet anymore for check-ups. We adopted 2 little girls a few years ago(after we thought we were done adding to our family) and I know my time with him has not been what it was or what it should be. But he is too aggressive to have out with little ones around. Now....the big problem...he is attacking me recently to the point that I am afraid of him! I have never been afraid of him. I have been bit in the past...but nothing big. He has bit me 3 times in the past few weeks that were an attack type of bite and drew enough blood that I almost needed stitches! I am now afraid of my own bird and even afraid to clean his cage! Please help! I do not want to re-home him, but what should I do? Is there hope for my little guy??